Clutch sleeve



i Oct. 26,1943. C, F, GREWER 2,333,003

CLUTCH SLEEVE Filed nec.y so, 1941 2 sheets-sheet 1 rocrw 26, 1943. c. F. GREINER 2,333,003

Filed Dec. so, 194; 2 sheets-sheet?v o Si N n o rg 9 M QN@ o@ 1l NN s N FN u* Q N N N N N 5t i, H 3

---------- f' 3 q y s @o 3 H Q @SNS En! w ,N N 05N K o a r @gg s :elf g3 N U i i0 o; I 9 N@ CLUTCH SLEEVE Patented Oct. 26, 1943 i "uNlrEDsTATIEs PATENT, oFFI CLUTCH SLEEVE y Carl F. Greiner, Springfield, Ohio, assignerr to f The Buffalo-Springfield Roller Co., Springfield,

Ohio, a corporation of Ohio f L .Application December 30, 1941, Serial No. 424,997

12 Claims.

This invention relates to clutch assemblies particularly adapted for use in heavy vehicles, `such as road rollers, which during normal operation area driven substantially -equal periods 1in forward and reverse directions, and the principal object thereof is to provide in such assembly a novel sleevehav-ing grooves in its bore receiving integral splines on the clutch shaft `and clamping the clutch hub between the end of the sleeve :and a shoulder on the clutch shaft, said sleeve also having integral splines on its exterior entering grooves inthe bore of the cone hub, said sleeve thereby replacing the usual key in such assemblies mounted in a keyway in the shaft and extending through a slot in the sleeve and `into a` keyway in the cone hub, which key due` to Aits abnormal unsupported height above the `shaft is subject to rocking movements in its v keyways due to the constant reversals of the clutch shaft and to the torque required to start or stop rotation of the clutch cone and hub due to its weight, said rocking movements resulting aftera short period of use in failure of the key, and :damage .to the shaft, sleeve, key, or cone hub.4

The use of my novel clutch sleeve `however permits clamping of the clutch hub by the sleeve in j the `usual conventional manner; and my sleeve furthermore serves as an equivalent for a plurality of keys while eliminating the hazard of loose keys and the hazard of shaft or hub damage,due to constant reversals of the clutch shaft which is usually rotated at speeds of 1000 R. P. M ,or more. l

I will explain the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings ,which` illustrate one practicalembodiment thereof to enable others familiar with the art to adopt and use the same; and will summarize in the claims, the novel features of construction, and novel combination of parts, for which protection is desired.

In` said drawings:

Fig. "1` is` a horizontal section through a portion of `a clutch assembly embodying my inven tionQon the common plane of the axes of the main drive` shaft and the clutch shaft.

Fig; 2 is a` transverse section on the line 2 2, Fig. 1.

Fig.` 3'is a horizontal section similar to Fig. l, butshowing the complete clutch assembly.

As shown, the clutch assembly includes a clutch housing I in which is journaled a main driveshaft 2 carrying a gear3 driven from the flywheel 4 or other part of the engineer motor (notshown'), drive shaft 2 being" mounted in lo l suitable bearings in housing I and carrying on one end a spiral bevel pinion 5 which forms vthe main driving pinion of the assembly. Opposite the pinion 5 and disposed normal to the axis of main drive shaft 2 is a clutch shaft 6 journaled in suitable antifriction bearings 'I `mounted in the walls of housing I. It being understood that the construction shown in Fig. 1 to the right of the center-line X-X is duplicated at the other side of the center-line X--X inthe actual shaft assembly, and both sides being symmetrical, it is merely necessary to illustrate and describe one side of the assembly, i. e., that shown in Fig.` 1. Clutch shaft 6 floats in its bearings, same havinga sleeve 8 extending at opposite sides of the antifriction bearing 1 which engages saidsleeve directly, sleeve 8 carrying at its inner end a spiral bevel gear 9 in constant mesh with spiral bevel pinion 5 of main drive shaft 2, whereby sleeve 8 willbe driven by the drive shaft 2 which normally would be driven at-` substantially constant speed.

At the opposite endof sleeve 8 is a clutch driving drum I0 having a hub II keyed, as at I2, to sleeve 8 so as to rotate therewith. "Antifriction bearling'l is interposed between clutch housing I and sleeve 8, and bushings I 3 and I4 are in-V terposed between the bore of sleeve 8 and `the clutch shaft E, whereby the shaft 6 mayi'loat in its bearings, the same being journaled in the constantly rotatinlgl sleeve 8. Clutch driving drum I0 is provided with a cylindrical portion I5 at its periphery concentric with shaft 5, and an internal annular series of teeth I6 are formed within the cylindrical portion I5.' VShaft 6, beyond the hub II of clutch ydriving drum l0, is reduced in diameter as` at II, and a clutch hub I8 is keyed as at I9 upon the reduced portion I'I so as to rotate shaft 6 when the clutch is engaged. Clutch hub I8 has a disk `portion 20 adjacent its inner end extending vwithin the cylindrical portion I5 of clutch driving drum Il), disk portion 20`being of less diameter than the vannular teeth I6. Splined upon clutch hub I8 is a clamping disk 2| of substantially the same diameter asthe disk 20, clamping diski'il being normally urged outwardly away from the disk 20 by means of springs 22 disposed between the disks 2D and 2|.

Between clutch disk 2U and clamping'disk 2| is a plate 23 having riveted to opposite faces thereof friction facings 24, 25; and at the periphery of plate 23 are teeth 26 meshing withthe teethl I6 of the cylindrical portion I5 of clutch `driving drum IIJ, whereby the plate -23 will be constantly rotated by clutch drum l so that when the clamping plate 2| is moved. toward the clutch plate the plate 23 will be clamped therebetween and the clutch will be engaged and the clutch shaft 6 will be rotated by and with the clutch drum |0. When however the clamping disk 2| ismoved away from the disk 20 the springs 22 will hold the members 2| and 20 separated in order to permit the clutch shaft 6 to remain idle or in fact to be rotated in the opposite direction, while the clutch drum |0 is being rotated by and with the drive shaft 2.

Shaft 6, beyond the reduced portion |1, is

further reduced as at 21, and a clamping sleeve 28 extends over the reduced portion 21 of shaft 6 with its inner end engaging the'outer face of clutch hub I 8. The outer end of sleeve 28 extends somewhat beyond the outer end of the reduced portion 21 of shaft 6 and a washer 29 engages the outer end of sleeve 28. A bolt transxes the washer 2S and is threaded into a tapped bore inthe reduced end 21 of shaft 6, wherebywhen bolt30 is tightenedthe sleeve 28 will be urged inwardly on shaft portion 21 to take up any looseness between clutch hub |8 and the shoulder formed by the reduced portion |1 of shaft 6, in order to maintain the clutch hub in firm engagement with said shoulder and to prevent slack.

The means for shifting the clamping disk 2| comprises a collar 3| threaded, as at 32, upon the outer end o f clutch hub |8, said collar thereby rotating with said hub. Collar 3| vcarries a plurality of rocking fingers 33 normally inclined with respect to the axis of shaft 6, said fingers adapted, when swung to positions substantially parallel with the axis of shaft 6, to shift the clamping plate 2| towards the disk 2G. Fingers 33 carry on their outer ends rollers 34 adapted to ride upon a conical cam carried by a cone hub 36, which hub is splined upon the sleeve 28 soas to rotate with the shaft 6. The specic details whereby the rockingnngers 33 serve to shift the clamping diskr 2| towards the disk 20 of hub I8 form no part of my present; invention.

-Heretofore in clutch assemblies of the above type, it has been necessaryto provide a key in a keyway in the reduced portion 21wof rthe shaft 6, said key extending through a slot in the sleeve 28 extending substantially the full length of the sleeve, said keyentering a keyway in the cone hub 36,v but due to the unsupported height of the key above the reduced portion 21 of the shaft, and to the speedof the .clutch shaft and to the tegral splines 28h entering corresponding grooves 36a in the bore of cone hub 36, the integral splines 28h being preferably disposed intermediate the grooves 23a of the sleeves. Thus the sleeve 28 is splined directly to the reduced portion 21 of the shaft and also splined directly to the cone hub 36 by means of ribs formed integrally on the shaft and sleeve forming an efcient and durable construction obviating the use of separate keys, andl obviating the necessity of having to provide a slot for the key extending through the sleeve 23 substantially the full length of said sleeve.

As beforestated, it is understood that the construction shown in Fig. 1 is reproduced in symmetrical form at the opposite side of the centerline X-X as shown in Fig. 3 to provide a clutch assembly in which the shaft 6 may be rotated in opposite directions according to which of the two clutches is engaged or disengaged.

In practice, the cone hub 3 6 vat each end of shaft 6 would be engaged: by a single clutch actuating member having forks 39 and an operating lever (not f shown), whereby when the lever is swung into neutral v.position the cams 35 of the opposed cone hubs 36 at opposite ends of Weight o f the clutch cone and hub assembly, the

constant reversals of the vehicle drive would rock or tend to rock the key in its keyways, and after a relatively short length 4of time the key would be damaged, causing failure of the shaft, thev sleeve, the key, or the cone hub. In order to obviate said failures and at the same Vtime to permit use of the above conventional assembly which provides for clamping of the clutch hub I8, as aforesaid, I preferably use a novel clutch sleeve 28 such as shown more particularly in'Fig. 2, said sleeve eliminating the hazard of looseV keys and damage to the shaft or cone hub, and furthermore serving as the equivalentof three fixed keys. v

AAs shown in Fig. 2, the bore of the sleeve 28 is provided with three equallyspaced grooves 28a receivingintegral splines 21a, on the reduced portion 21 of rshaft ,6, .said keyways 23a and integral splines 21a serving more eiciently the same function as v.three separate keys but providing a construction which 'is much more durable. 'The einem ofsleeve `28 is provided with.. three 1nshaft 6 would both be disengaged from the rocking fingers 33 of ltheir related clutches, and thus both clutches would be open and the shaft 6 would be stationary although the spiral bevel gears v9 of both clutches were rotating.

When the operating lever is swung to one side the forward drive clutch would be engaged while the reverse drive clutch would be disengaged. When the operating lever is thrown in the opposite direction the reverse drive clutch would be engaged while the forward drive clutch would be disengaged. The clutchshaft 6 4drives through suitable change speed gearing (not shown) the drive axles or ,drive wheels of the vehicle.

I do not limit my invention toclutch assemblies for road rollers for obviously the same maybe utilized in any assembly which includesa sleeve interposed between a member splined upon a shaft and adapted to be rotated by the said shaft.

I claim: y

1. In a clutch assembly, av shaft having a reduced portion; a clutch hub keyed .onsaid reduced portion; said shaft having a further reduced portion; a sleeve splined upon said further reduced portion with its inner end engaging the clutch hub to maintain the hub ixedly mounted on said rst reduced portion; means for adjusting the sleeve towards the hub; and an axially movable clutch actuating member splined upon said sleeve.

2. In an assembly as set forth in claim l, said sleeve having grooves and rintegral splines lengaging integral splines and grooves of the shaft and member. Y

3. In an assembly as set forth in claim 1, said shaft having an annular series of integral splines engaging `an annular series of grooves in the bore of the sleeve; and said sleeve having an annular series of integral splines on its exterior 'engaging'.an annular series ofgrooves in the bore ,Series 0f ,eieorsie th bore of the member: the

splines and grooves of the sleeve alternating and being equidistantly spaced. i

5. In a clutch assembly, a floating clutch shaft, a clutch driving drum rotatably mounted thereon; means for rotating the drum; a clutch hub cooperating with said clutch drum and keyed to a reduced portion of said shaft and contacting the shoulder formed by said reduced portion; a sleeve splined upon said shaft and adapted `to engage the outer face of the hub and extending beyond the end of the shaft; means for shifting ends of the shaft beyond the hubs being further reduced; and said shaft having one or more integral splines engaging grooves in the bore of the sleeve; and said sleeve having one or moren integral splines on its exterior engaging grooves in the bore of the actuator.

8. In an assembly as set forth in claim 5, the

ends of the shaft beyond the hubs being further reduced; and said shaft having one or more integral splines engaging grooves in the bore of the sleeve; and said sleevehaving one or more integral splines on its exterior engaging grooves in the bore of the actuator; the splines and grooves of the sleeve alternating and being equidistantly spaced.

- sleeves splined upon said shaft ends and adapted i 9. In a clutch assembly, a floating clutch shaft, a pair of clutch driving drums rotatably mounted onsaid shaft; means for rotating the drums in opposite directions; clutch hubs cooperating with said clutch drums respectively and keyed to reduced portions of said shaft and contacting the shoulders formed by said reduced portion;

to engage the outer faces of the hubs and extending beyond the ends of the shaft; means forshifting the sleeves inwardly of the shaft; clutch actuators splined upon said sleeves; and means on the clutch hubs actuated by the actuators for engaging and vdisengaging the clutch hubs With respect to the clutch driving drums.

10. In an assembly as set forth in claim 9, said sleeves having grooves and integral splines engaging integral splines and grooves of the 'shaft and actuators.

11. In an assembly as set forth in claim 9, the ends of the shaft beyond the hubs being further reduced; and said shaft having one or more integral splines engaging grooves in the bore vof the sleeve; and said sleeve having one or more integral splines on its exterior engaging grooves in the bore of the actuator.

12. In anassembly as set forth in claim 9, the end of the shaft beyond the hubs being further reduced; and said shaft having one or more integral splines engaging grooves in the bore of the sleeve; and said sleeve having one or more integral splines on its exterior engaging grooves in the bore of the actuator; the splines and grooves of the sleeve alternating and being equidistantly spaced.

CARL F. GREINER.. 

